Frost, 49, grabs surprising lead in the Wales Open

text size

Getty Images

David Frost is in line to play the Champions Tour when he turns 50 in September.

NEWPORT, Wales (AP) -- Veteran David Frost, who will start playing Champions Tour golf in the U.S. in September, shot a 5-under 66 Thursday to share the first round lead in the Wales Open with Thomas Bjorn, Nick Dougherty and Alan Mclean.

The 49-year-old South African birdied four holes out of five in the middle of his round and collected another at the last.

Bjorn birdied three holes in succession from the 14th and also the last for his 66, while Dougherty pitched brilliantly to two feet from an awkward position off the final green for a birdie.

The quartet led by a stroke from Pablo Larrazabal --who had a hole in one in his 67 -- Taco Remkes and Fabrizio Zanotti.

Larrazabal had his ace at the 175-yard 7th, where Mads Vibe-Hastrup also had a hole in one. Jeev Milka Singh aced the 189-yard 13th.

Both captains for next year's Ryder Cup were on the 2010 Course at Celtic Manor and had a good look at the layout Thursday, Colin Montgomerie shooting a 2-under 69 and Pavin a 1-over 72.

They played in different groups and both denied they were competing against each other. "Neither of us will be playing a shot in 16 months time," Montgomerie said.

Frost was a little taken aback by his score. "I'm very pleased but surprised.

"This golf course is a little long for me but fortunately there's a bit of roll out there because it is quite dry," he said of the 7,378-yard course.

Frost will start Champions Tour golf on Sept. 18 in North Carolina. He is a short hitter by Tour standards but does not worry about it.

"I have to rely on my short game and when a golf course comes along which suits me, the short game definitely helps. You try and play strategic golf, chess golf, out here."

Bjorn has been bedevilled by neck and shoulder problems in recent years but is healthy now.

"You've got to be very focused out here because there is a lot of trouble," he said.

He made five threes in succession in the run that included three birdies.

"I played good, solid golf without being perfect," he said.

The Dane will probably be a vice-captain for Montgomerie here next year. "I'll help if I can but if he doesn't ask me, good luck to everything he does," Bjorn said.

Dougherty faced an awkward chip at the last when it looked as if a pitch to 10 feet would have been a good result.

"It was an awesome shot, to be fair. It was particularly tough but I executed it perfectly," he said.

McLean, a Scot who lives in Canada, birdied the last late in the evening to join the leaders.

Christian Cevaer of France, winner of the European Open on Sunday, withdrew after 12 holes due to exhaustion.

His compatriot Shane Lowry, who won the Irish Open as an amateur three weeks ago, had a 6-over 77 in his second pro tournament. He missed the halfway cut last week in his pro debut at the European Open.